Villagers Kill Leopard

VARANASI: A seven-year-old leopard was lynched by a mob of villagers in Chak village under Saiyadraja police station in Chandauli district on Friday. At least five persons were booked under Wildlife (Protection) Act. However, no person was arrested so far.

According to reports, the leopard sneaked into the human habitat from neighbouring jungle. It was stated that it injured 3-4 persons. Later, the villagers attacked the wild animal with sticks and sharp-edged weapons. The badly injured animal succumbed to injuries on the spot before the forest personnel could reach the place. Divisional forest officer PP Verma told TOI over phone that the animal was dead when the forest personnel arrived at the village after getting the information. He claimed villagers killed the leopard in self-defense as the animal had injured 3-4 persons. However, a case had been filed against five persons under the Wildlife Protection Act, he said and added the police would investigate the matter to establish whether it was an act of self-defense. Meanwhile, the body was sent for postmortem. It may be mentioned here that killing a leopard is a serious crime under the Indian Wildlife Act.

The forest officials were not sure from where the wild animal had come to the village. "There is a possibility that the leopard may have come from the jungles of Kaimur range, Bihar, which is about 15-km away, or the forest of Chakia in Chandauli district, which is 30-km away from the village," said the DFO.